UK Foreign Secretary Presses for Release of British-Egyptian Activist in Cairo Visit

David Lammy meets Egyptian officials to advocate for Alaa Abd El-Fattah's freedom as his mother’s hunger strike nears four months.

Alaa Abd El-Fattah, a British-Egyptian activist and writer, has been imprisoned in Egypt since 2019 despite completing his five-year sentence in September 2024.
UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy is visiting Cairo to push for Abd El-Fattah's release, calling it the government’s 'number one issue' in discussions with Egyptian officials.
Abd El-Fattah’s mother, Laila Soueif, has been on a hunger strike for 116 days, vowing not to eat until her son is freed, with her health now in critical condition.
Family members and human rights groups urge Lammy to prioritize human rights over trade and migration talks during his meetings in Egypt.
Abd El-Fattah, a prominent figure from Egypt’s 2011 Arab Spring, gained UK citizenship in 2022 and has faced repeated imprisonment for criticizing Egyptian authorities.